Towards just transition of coal regions - Cultivation of short rotation copies and dedicated energy crops for biomass co-firing vs photo voltaic power plants

Abstract

• Abandoned coal mine areas to continue sustainable use now in the green energy business. • Options proposed include forming biomass plantations vs construction of solar power plants. • Sustainability criteria such as economic, environmental and social aspect need to be considered. • Decision can be made using both aggregated economic analysis and multi criteria sustainability assessment. In developing countries, which dominantly produce electricity by burning coal, energy transition represents a significant challenge. Short rotation coppice and dedicated energy crops could be a promising raw material for production of biofuel and its further usage for electricity and heat generation. This work assesses possibilities and elaborates on the sustainability of cultivation of short rotation coppice type willow and dedicated energy crop Miscanthus on former areas of coalmines belonging to the largest power utility in Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely JP Elektroprivreda BiH d.d. – Sarajevo. Abandoned coal mine areas were mapped and, by settled criteria, dedicated either to future photovoltaic power plants integration or the cultivation of energy crops and their further use in the considered generation portfolio mix. In order to assess the contribution of both photovoltaic power plants and biomass in the upcoming energy transition process, an adequate method has been developed in this article and specific sustainability indicator groups determined to further calculate the sustainability ratio. The paper focuses on economic, environmental and social indicator groups, which were used to perform the aggregated economic analysis and the multi criteria analysis. Performed aggregated economic analysis lightly favours the construction of photovoltaic power plants over the use of willow as fuel. In this analysis, Mischantus is lagging far behind due to its lower yield compared to willow. The multi criteria analysis on the other hand, valorises the social indicator adequately and the sustainability ratio results are much closer for both considered renewable sources types. This shows the importance of a comprehensive approach and definition of appropriate methods to enable decision-makers to draw appropriate conclusions.